1. Do not make your own positive identity dependent upon the negative identity
of another person or group.

2. Do not allow the government to determine
your personal identity.

3. Your most authentic identity is
based upon what you yourself do or think.

Commentary on these principles:

1.

This principle derives from the Golden
Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. No one
wants a negative identity. It is unjust to force this upon another person
except as a specific consequence of personal action. To impose a negative
role in a story on someone while you have a positive role is an act of aggression
against that person. It is a hostile act leading to an unpeaceful world.

Yet, history is often misused in this way.
Grudge-bearing history is a prime source of wars. In the interest of a more
peaceful and loving community, refrain from casting another in a negative
light that you can shine. Project your own positive light to brighten the
world.

2.

If government is your master, then,
of course, your personal identity is based upon a role assigned to you by
the government. In a democracy, however, the people should be masters of the
government. The people individually and collectively determine who they are;
this should be the source of government policy.

Unfortunately, the reality is that political
leaders often set policies to further their own interests. Professing to abhor
war, they lead their nations into wars that glorify themselves while the common
people die. Therefore, while the war veteran can be personally proud of courageous
acts carried out at the direction of government, this is a lesser distinction.
A higher form of personal identity is that which comes from self-directed
acts. Government, the peoples servant, has no business intruding in
this area.

3.

You are what you do or think. If
you do something, that becomes a part of your character. For better or worse,
you have put yourself into a story. If you have a particular thought, you
think it is true. The thought becomes a part of your own belief system. Therefore,
your most authentic identity is what comes out of yourself rather than what
is given to you.

That said, it must be noted that, up to
a certain age, individuals have identities shaped by others, especially their
parents. Blind action and thought precede self-conscious understanding. Children
imitate other people to receive a sense of direction before awkwardly striking
out on their own. This a normal and desirable part of life. If all goes well,
one can continue in this mode.

The need for independent judgment arises
mainly when things are not going well and a person is forced to make intelligent
decisions in response to problems. It is then that self-reflection is invited
into life.

When Americans, for instance, find their
society dissolving around them, the time may have come to decide what it means
to be an American. The American people can then reflect upon and choose a
national identity which leads them to a better future instead of allowing
others who may not have their interests in mind to decide this.

Action always precedes ones sense
of identity; the latter is what one chooses to accept from this action. It
is not healthy to be excessively self-conscious or obsessed with ones
own identity. There needs to be a balance between action and thought.